{"id":30600,"date":"2016-12-13T15:08:20","date_gmt":"2016-12-13T20:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=30600"},"modified":"2016-12-13T15:08:20","modified_gmt":"2016-12-13T20:08:20","slug":"the-god-problem-betsy-devos-and-christianizing-public-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=30600","title":{"rendered":"The god problem: Betsy DeVos and christianizing public schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the religious right, vouchers are a way to dismantle public education.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Source, Katherine Stewart: Betsy DeVos and God\u2019s Plan for Schools – The New York Times<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A couple of key chilling paragraphs:<\/p>\n

[Betsy] DeVos is a chip off the old block. At a 2001 gathering of conservative Christian philanthropists, she singled out education reform as a way to \u201cadvance God\u2019s kingdom.\u201d In an interview<\/a>, she and her husband, Richard DeVos Jr., said that school choice would lead to \u201cgreater kingdom gain.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

Like other advocates of school voucher programs, Ms. DeVos presents her plans as a way to improve public education and give families more choice. But the family foundations\u2019 money supports a far more expansive effort.<\/em><\/p>\n

The evangelical pastor and broadcaster D. James Kennedy, whose Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a beneficiary of DeVos largess, said in a 1986 sermon that children in public education were being \u201cbrainwashed in Godless secularism.\u201d More recently, in 2005, he told followers<\/a> to \u201cexercise godly dominion\u201d over \u201cevery aspect and institution of human society,\u201d including the government.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jerry Falwell Sr. outlined the goal in his 1979 book \u201cAmerica Can Be Saved!\u201d He said he hoped to see the day when there wouldn\u2019t be \u201cany public schools \u2014 the churches will have taken them over and Christians will be running them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A scary, scary lady.<\/a><\/p>\n

Most of the comments on this opinion piece are rational and terrific. But here are a few that’ll give you an idea of how some people in this country are thinking. Or, rather, not thinking: believing.<\/p>\n

\n

Eric, [from] N<\/em>ew Jersey<\/span> <\/em><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n

We’ve have tried just about everything to fix the public schools and nothing has worked. Maybe God might not be such a bad idea. In fact, his Son grew up to be a teacher!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Donald Trump Supporter [from] <\/em>Not There<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

Thank God for Donald Trump. He is speaking for “Us” and we love him. <\/em><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n

The United States has slowly removed God from the classroom, it is a slippery Liberal slope, devoid of morality. <\/em><\/p>\n

This country was built on Jewish-Christian faith, it has sustained Whites, African Americans and immigrants looking for freedom. This freedom must extend to the classroom. <\/em><\/p>\n

The liberals removed prayer from school, against the will of half the country. <\/em><\/p>\n

We are not anti-science, but we have not had anyone in education to respect faith based education. The President elect, is hearing the voice of his voters and we are very pleased.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the religious right, vouchers are a way to dismantle public education. Source, Katherine Stewart: Betsy DeVos and God\u2019s Plan for Schools – The New York Times A couple of key chilling paragraphs: [Betsy] DeVos is a chip off the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1095,632],"tags":[1211,1212,672],"class_list":["post-30600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","category-the-god-problem","tag-department-of-education","tag-public-school-education","tag-the-god-problem-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t